


Fundamental Attraction

by ScribblesInTheMargins



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: 18OI AU Week (Yuri!!! on Ice), 18OI AU Week 2020: Day 2, Angst, Hints of Future OtaYuri, Junior Skaters, M/M, Pining Otabek Altin, Pre-Canon, an AU if you squint hard enough, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24478252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribblesInTheMargins/pseuds/ScribblesInTheMargins
Summary: For Otabek, It was supposed to be an amazing summer at an elite skating camp with his almost boyfriend.For JJ, It was supposed to be a chance to get away from Canada and spend time with the boy he was falling forSometimes things don't go the way they are supposed to.
Relationships: Otabek Altin/Jean-Jacques Leroy
Comments: 16
Kudos: 14
Collections: 18OI AU Week 2020





	Fundamental Attraction

**Author's Note:**

> This is Day two of the 18+ on ice Discord's AU event. [Server Link](https://discord.gg/TYMxcAB)
> 
> If you're new to my writing, I hope you like these little stories.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are always loved

Even at fifteen, this was not the first time that Otabek Altin had been on a plane by himself. Well, technically he wasn't by himself, but even if JJ Leroy was nine months older than him, he was feeling like the older one in this situation.

JJ was peering out the window, a cup of orange juice in his hand as his eyes widened, "Look Beks! Look! Land, we're over land? How soon do you think it'll be now?"

He tried to be upset, but even his 'too cool for all of this' demeanor faltered a little at how his kinda-sorta almost-boyfriend managed to seem so much like a puppy dog when he was excited. "It'll still be a few hours until Paris, then we have the layover and then we'll be in Switzerland. Not that long." He picked up his book, using it to hide how he was smiling.

* * *

It was well into the evening when they both walked off the plane in Zurich, the last two passengers to get off since they had to be escorted as unaccompanied minors. Both boys stopped as they saw the bald man waiting for them -- they had not expected this. The Josef Karpisek was standing there, his coat over an arm, and clearly waiting for them.

"Good. You both are here. Come along. I need to get you to the dorm and then training begins in the morning." He turned, leading the boys off to the baggage claim. It would be a decent drive to St. Moritz, but to be at such a legendary venue with such a deep history was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The countryside was beautiful. As soon as they were out of the city, everywhere there were mountains and trees and JJ loved it. He spent so much of his time in the suburbs of Montreal; to see this was such a wonder.

Between jetlag and travel, at some point in the drive, JJ had fallen asleep. When he woke up, he felt a weight against him. As he turned his head, he saw Otabek had nodded off as well, leaning against him and sound asleep as the car stopped in front of a beautiful old building. The sides were tan with a brown roof and shutters, looking as if it had stepped out of a photo of the 1948 Olympics, and JJ was well aware of Olympic history. Some changes had been made, of course, but this was the summer headquarters of the Swiss winter sports teams, figure skating being one of them. In addition to Swiss skaters, others from around the world flocked here, vying for spots in Josef Karpisek's illustrious program.

As JJ woke up Otabek so they could both be led into the building, he knew why he and Otabek had both been approved to be here for the summer. While they were both names on the junior circuit, JJ's mother was pregnant and due soon -- which meant the skating program in Montreal would be on a hiatus. All the skaters had found places for the summer -- some of which had involved calling in favors.

While Nathalie had often coached right up to labor and been back rink side with a day's old baby before -- this time she was on bedrest with twins and no one expected her to bounce back as quick with child number nine and ten. 

JJ had been a good son though, sending a message to his mother that they had both landed safe, and he'd send another one that they had arrived at the dorms. Unsurprisingly, Otabek and JJ were both in the same room, a window overlooking the courtyard and bunk beds on one wall. Josef Karpisek had not walked them to their room. One of the man's assistants had done that -- evidently the only reason that Mr. Karpisek had picked them up at all was that he had arrived at the airport two hours before them, so it had seemed foolish to have someone else do it.

JJ was exhausted, and after grabbing the bottom bunk, he quickly changed. Morning would be there all too soon. They both knew they'd be worked hard at the camp tomorrow.

* * *

Otabek couldn't fall asleep. Even with JJ's gentle snoring from the bottom bunk, he laid there, looking at the slight imperfections in the ceiling from his spot on the top bunk. They hadn't closed the curtains so the moonlight streamed into the room. Everything was flooded in that soft light, the bare room mostly only occupied by two desks and their strewn about luggage.

Finally, Otabek had enough, he wasn't going to fall asleep like this. Maybe he had slept too much on the flight, but all of his instincts were saying this was still the middle of the day. Careful to not wake up JJ, he slipped from the top bunk to at least close the curtains.

He paused, one hand holding the fabric as he looked out to the courtyard. There was another car there. As soon as it stopped, two people rushed out from the building's entrance, taking the luggage from the trunk and opening the doors -- the back doors. From the back, first appeared Yakov Feltsman, the most acclaimed of all the Russian skating coaches. For a moment, Beka held his breath wondering if Victor Nikiforov would be stepping out next. He had only seen the man skate once, and that had been two years ago at a summer camp experience he did not want to relive any time soon.

Otabek gasped, stepping back as he saw who actually emerged after Mr. Feltsman. There, lit only by moonlight, was the figure that had haunted his dreams since that one fateful day in Saint Petersburg. 

Yuri Plisetsky. Few knew the name yet. He wasn't old enough to advance into Juniors. He still had another season before he'd be old enough for that, but for now, the boy was only twelve and as beautiful as Otabek had remembered. His hair was short now, no longer the long tresses that the ten-year-old version had worn, but that look was no different.

Back straight and shoulders square, Yuri slung a skate bag over his shoulder as he handed Mr. Feltsman the man's hat. Then, following the men that had grabbed the luggage the two Russians walked into the building, and Beka was positive that he was dreaming.

He had been so captivated by the events outside the window that he hadn't noticed JJ had woken up, or that the other boy had walked over. When a hand was placed on his shoulder, he jumped, startled, turning back to the room quickly.

"Are you okay?" There was nothing but concern in the blue eyes that looked back at him.

"Yeah -- just, I heard a car pull up." Maybe it wasn't the truth, but maybe it wasn't a lie either.

"Oh, more skaters?" JJ smiled, a little shy dip to his head as he reached down to take a hold of Otabek's hand, standing there in sweatpants and a T-shirt.

"Yes and no … Yakov Feltsman."

"What's he doing here?" Instantly, JJ was crowding the window, trying to see if there was anything still to see in the now empty courtyard.

"He had one of his skaters with him." Was a lie of omission as bad as a more obvious lie?

"Was it Victor? Oh please tell me it was Victor! I want to see him skate so bad!" Now JJ was clearly awake. The excitement from the man so obvious.

"No, a novice. Yuri Plisetsky."

"I don't know who that is."

Otabek just nodded. "I know. He hasn't skated outside of Russia yet. He also hasn't taken anything but a gold at anything he's done -- ever."

That got JJ's attention, "You know him?" While winning Novice events was impressive -- winning Novice events in Russia was much more impressive. The depth of the skating field there was always so deep.

"I -- I was at a camp with him, two years ago. I didn't talk to him, I just saw him." He tried not to sound like that moment had meant so much to him. He tried, but he failed.

"Tell me about it?" Even as he asked, JJ pulled Otabek from the window, holding the other boy's hand as he led him back to his bunk. "Tell me about this Yuri Plisetsky?"

Even as Otabek pulled his feet up under himself and leaned into JJ, he knew this was not going to go well. "I was in the ballet class with the novice students. I had been removed from the Juniors class, so the Novice class was already underway. As I was getting my shoes on by the door and being scolded for not bowing when I walked in, I looked up, and he was there at the barre. I've never seen such perfect form in my life, Jean, ever -- and my mother used to drag me to the ballet whenever one of my sisters was too busy."

"How old is he?" Even as he asked, he let his hand trace along Otabek's shoulder.

"He's three years younger than me, he was ten then, he's twelve now. You don't -- you didn't see him, Jean. For a moment, there was this look to him, this -- it was tragic almost, as if he was going to just fall apart as this woman was barking at him to curve his back more and straighten his leg more and reach with his foot, but then -- his eyes, they changed."

JJ nodded, listening as he heard his kinda-sorta boyfriend explain how Yuri Plisetsky looked that day. He heard it, the emotion in Otabek's voice, the voice that almost never held emotion over anything. Even as he kissed the top of Beka's head, somewhere, he knew this was more than he wanted it to be.

"He did it, everything she told him to, a strength to him I had never seen as his eyes focused as if ready to take on any hardship, any pain to reach his goal. They were the eyes of a soldier in a ten-year-old boy who I could have picked up with one hand. I had never seen anything like it." Otabek paused, realizing how it sounded when he talked about Yuri Plisetsky like that.

"He was beautiful?" JJ had to ask. He had to just pull that bandaid off and let it all hurt right now.

Otabek wished he could say no, but he couldn't lie. He'd done too much of that already today. Instead, he nodded. "He didn't even seem human, Jean. He didn't even see me there. He didn't see anyone there. He was focused only on why he was there and getting stronger and better -- he's … I've watched him skate. Every feed I can, he's a monster, Jean. No -- not monster, I don't know what word I am looking for. He just -- he gets better every time. Every single time I see him skate he is stronger, faster, better -- it's not human. He's so beautiful."

That was the first moment that JJ knew he was losing Otabek. He ignored it for now. They had to do everything Josef Karpisek told them to do in the morning for camp, so instead of being upset, JJ leaned in, kissing Otabek's forehead. "Sleep here tonight. You'll sleep better and maybe we'll both see him in the morning."

Nodding, Otabek let himself sink into bed, held tight in warm arms, even as his mind wandered back to that glimpse of Yuri Plisetsky in the courtyard.

JJ knew. He wasn't stupid. He knew that Otabek was in love -- or some semblance of the emotion. He wished it was with him, but it wasn't. He pulled his not really a boyfriend tighter though, softly shushing his Otabek as he helped the other man fall asleep.

JJ wouldn't be able to sleep -- he had been so close to having something, but he didn't have it. Even with Otabek in his arms, he didn't have the other boy. It was okay though. Someday he'd find someone who would love him, and love all of him.

**Author's Note:**

> If you are looking for me on Social Media:
> 
> Twitter = <https://twitter.com/ScribblesITM>
> 
> Tumbr = <https://scribblesinthemargins.tumblr.com/>


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